Pitcher manikin



C. A. SCHUYLER PITCHER MANIKIN Sept. 22, 1942.

Filed oct'. 8, 1941 r N m Q W. me@ S. Il m@ NN -1- NPM rg W C w., TLLmww. \r s g u mm w r m Kb M RNM m ,wo 6 /M E w RN .u m #Si r N M mw NN Nwm. M .RN m Nm ,www Q \m% um.. www mm mmv. @l W R mw m mm includes a xedlower or nether portion Patented Sept. 22, 1942 PITCHER MANIKIN ClarenceA. Schuyler, Chicago, Ill., assignor to H. C. Evans & Co., Inc.,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 8, 1941,Serial No. 414,060

' 4 Claims. (VCI. 46-145) This game apparatus and has for its principalobject the provision of a manikin of an improved structure which iseconomical and simple in manufacture and highly efficient in"use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a manikin structurehaving a xed nether portion and a movable trunk portion and novelmechanism for imparting movement to the trunk portion to simulate abending action for the purpose of picking up a ball to be projected.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improvedmanikin having a pivoted arm adapted to swing about the shoulder of themanikin for the purpose of pitching a ball disposed in the hand portionof said arm.

Another object of this invention is the provision in a bendable manikinstructure having a swinging arm for pitching a ball, of a flexible linkfor rotating the arm in swinging motion to impart a ball pitching actionin said arm.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention reside incertain details of construction as well as the combination of parts tobe described hereinafter in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the manikin per se;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional detail view through the manikin showingits connection with a drive means;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail View, partly in elevation, withthe rear cover plate of the manikin removed and as seen along line 3-3in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a skeletonized perspective View of the essential driveconnections of the manikin structure illustrative of the body movementthereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, the manikin structure of the present invention isindicated at l and Il comprising the legs of the manikin. The legs areformed integrally with a base plate I2 in one unitary casting. The leftleg l3 o-f the manikin is hollowed out to provide a tubular innerportion I4 (Fig. 2), which tubular portion extends downwardly beneaththe base plate I2 to provide a tubular mounting l5. The tubularextension l5 is mounted in an upstanding boss I6 formed as a part of amounting plate i1 which is adapted to be fastened to a ball playingsurface (not shown). It is to be noted that the base plate l2 is pitchedslightly with respect invention relates to amusement and l(Fig. 3)

the inclined surface of the ball playing board upon which the manikin isadapted to be mounted. The inclination is necessary so that played ballsmay gravitate to an out pocket or any other suitable ball exit openingfor return to a ball feeding means (not shown).

The trunk portion i8 is pivotally mounted as at I3 at the hipline of themanikin so that the manikin structure l0 may bend at the hipline to thedotted-line position, Fig. 1. The upper end of the nether portion H isprovided with a trunnion 20 in which is mounted for rotatable movement ashaft 2|. The outer ends of the shaft 2l have attened surfaces 22 uponwhich are mounted the depending ears 23 of the trunk portion so that thetrunk portion will rotate with the shaft 2|. A hub structure 24 is xedlymounted on the shaft 2l for rotation therewith and is provided with anenlarged disc formation 25 from which extends laterally an eccentricallymounted'pin 26. A connecting rod 21 has an end portion 28 thereof loopedabout the eccentrically mounted pin 26 and has a lower end portion 29fastened by a screw 30 within a yoke-formed block 3l, which in turn ispivotally mounted as at 32 on a rocker arm 33 for reasons hereinafter tobe explained.

The trunk portion I8 is hollowed out to provide a chamber 34 (Figs. 2and 3) and provides at the shoulder portion 35 of the manikin a mountingfor a shaft 36. A pulley 3l is iixedly mounted upon the shaft 36 forrotation therewith and has arranged in one flange portion 38 thereof apin 39, which pin extends through the final loop of a flexible element40, in the present instance in the form of a chain having a plurality oflinks. The opposite end 4| of the flexible element 4|) is attached to ahook 42 formed on the upper end of a connecting rod 43 having its lowerend 44 Xed by a screw -45 in a yoke block 46 pivotally attached to arocker arm 41 for purposes hereinafter to become more apparent.

The right arm 48 of the manikin is xedly attached to a keyed end 49 ofthe shaft 36 in such manner that rotatable movement of the shaft 36 willbe imparted to the arm 48 to simulate a swinging or ball throwing actionin the arm 48. This ball pitching arm 48 is normally held inball-.pitched position, as seen in Fig. 1, by a stop 50 formed on thetrunk portion I8 The shaft 36 is normally urged into a position todispose the arm 48 on the stop 50 by a coil spring 5I disposed on theshaft 36 to the mounting plate so as to conform with and having one endportion hooked into a flange shaft 51 is supported in a pair of bracketarms 58 depending downwardly from the mounting plate I1. The shaft 51has arranged thereon a plurality of driving cams. One of the drivingcams is indicated at 59 and is adapted to engage a roller 60 extendingfrom and carried by the rocker arm 33 substantially beyond the Vpoint-of pivot mounting of the yoke block 3'| carried by the rocker arm 33.This rocker arm 33 Ais supported on a horizontal shaft 6| extendingYbetween the Ybracketarnris T58. A spring 62 has one end attached as at63 :to the rocker arm 33 and its opposite end anchored/as at 164 yto themountt ing plate I1 so as to normally urge the Arocker arm 33 in aclockwise direction .about the shaft 6|. By reason .of the operativeconnection Aof the rocker arm 33 with .the hipline shaft 2| through themedium ofthe .connecting rod 21, f

the trunk portion VI8 of the manikin will be normally maintainedin,erect position as shown in the drawing) through the action .of thespring 62, such erect position of the trunk being limited so that themanikin trunk will notrotate in a backward direction beyond erectposition.

Another cam, indicated at 65, Vis likewise' mounted on the driveshaft.51 and is .adapted `to engage a roller 6.5 extending from andcarried by the rocker varm 41, the latter in turn Y.being rockablysupported by the shaft 6| heretofore described. The rocker arm 4.1isdisposed in a normal position through and by virtue of the action ofthe pre-tensioned spring arranged onv the shouldershaft 36,.',throughthe Vmedium `of the exible Velement :46 and the connecting rod 43.

A third cam, indicated at 61, isprovided with an irregular periphery andhas a Ynumber of switches bearing against such periphery for the purposeof timing the cycle of operationimparted to the manikin structure in amanner well-known in the art. In the `present instance `there isprovideda holding switch v|58 adapted to Aassume broken circuit condition asseen in Fig. YA2, Vunder normal circumstances. This switch 6.8 is.disposed to be cammed into closedcircuit .condition as soon as themotor has begun to operate a substantial amount. Such initial. operationof the motor is accomplished by a hand-.controlled switch 69 adapted tobe disposed in closed circuit condition by a push button or any othersuitable device so that the holding switch 68 may be cammed into circuitclosing condition Ywhere it will remain throughout a complete revolutionof the shaft 51 until the recessed formation 10 on the periphery of thecam 61 comes into alignment with the cam portion 1| Vof the switch l6,8.

Having described the structural characteristics of my new and improvedmanikin structure, a brief description of a cycleof .operation will nowbe set forth so as to disclose the ,advantages of the present invention.The manikin is normally disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1; and

when the player is ready to receive a pitched 75 direction (Fig. 2)

ball, the push button is operated to dispose the switch 69 in closedcircuit condition whereupon the motor 55 will be energized and the shaft51 begin to rotate. After a slight initial movement of the shaft 51, theholding switch 68 will maintain the motor in energized condition so thatthe cams 59 and 65 will continue to rotate. The cam 59 will then engagethe roller 6D on the relay arm33, bearing down upon the roller 6|) torotate the rocker arm 33 in a counterclockwise Such movement of therocker arm will cause a downward pulling action on the connecting rod21, thus pulling downwardlyon the laterally extending pin 26eccentrically mounted .on the disc 28 carried by the shaft 2l. Suchmovement will be imparted to the shaft 2| and in turn to the trunkportion I8, so. that the trunk portion will rotate into the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1-, with the hand portion 12 of the arm 48disposed over a ball opening 13 formed in the base plate |2.

.Simultaneously with Vthe bending movement a ball will have beenelevated to a position adjacent lthe hand by vmeans not shown Vin thepresent disclosure. vAt l the time the hand 12 reaches the positionadjacent Vthe Aopening V13, switch means 14 associated with the switchcam 61 will be disposed in closed circuit condition-,to supply currentto a stationary contact 15 mounted within theA chamber 34 of the trunkportion I8 through Aa, conductor C and having Vits free end portionWipingly engaging a movable contact 16 in turn connected by va suitableconductor means 11 to a-coil formed in the arm 48 to provide a. magneticfield in the region Yof ythe hand 12, thereby attracting a steelballdisposed at the opening 13 into the hand 12.

The cam 59 continuesits rotative movement, releasing the'roller 60 androcker arm 33 lfor return movement by action of the spring 62 Vso thatthe trunk |8-wi1l Vreturn to erect position. During the return movementof the trunk |18 to erect position, the cam '65 engages the roller =66on the rocker arm 41 to depress the -end of -the ,rocker arm 41carryingthe yokeblock 46, whereupon the connecting rod 43 will bepulleddown- Wardly and with it the flexible element 46, thereby pulling thepin 39, carried by the pulley 31, in a counterclockwise direction (Fig.2).

The foregoing rotative -movement lof the pulley 31 is in turn impartedto the shaft 36,-so that the arm 48 of the manikin will graduallygswingtoward the dotted line position with respect to the trunk YI8 as thelatter is returning toits erect position, at which time the arm 4.8-will have reached its maximum or ball ypitching position as seen indotted lines (Fig. 1). Upon the arm reaching its ball pitching position,the switch 14 will ride oi the high point of the cam 5,9'to 'assume anopen circuit condition, thus breaking the circuit to the coil withinthearm i8 and releasing the magnetic attraction fon the ball held withinYthe hand v12. Subsequent to the foregoing operation, the'cam 65 willabruptly release rthe roller 66, thus allowing the tensioned spring `5|to uncoil abruptly to swing the shaft .36 andthe arm Y48 into .a normalposition .with `thearm resting upon the stop 50. Such swinging -action.of the arm causing, vby centrifugal force,.a pitching of Ythe ball in apredetermined trajectory.

The ball pitching Yarm may -be .provided Awith a permanent magnet, ifdesired, which has a re1- Aativelyllight magnetic attraction, such thatupon the abrupt return v`actioin yof the pitching arm v48 from ballpitching ,position toward ball-pitched position the centrifugal forcewill be sufcient to release the ball from the hand 12.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a manikinstructure having a bendable body to simulate the picking up of a balland at the same time to provide a swinging arm to impart a pitchingaction to the ball. The arrangement of parts essentially necessary tothe present invention is well illustrated in Fig. 4 as providing arelatively simple structure requiring a minimum of parts foraccomplishing the result sought.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pitcher manikin including a hollow body bendable at the hip andhaving a fixed nether portion and a mounting plate carrying said netherportion and supporting a drive means on the under side thereof, saidnether portion having one leg portion in the form of a tubular membercommunicating with said hollow body and the under side of said mountingplate, together with a trunk portion arranged on said nether portion forrotatable movement with respect thereto, the combination of a horizontalshaft arranged on said nether portion, said shaft having operativeconnection with said trunk portion for imparting rotative movementthereto, a disc arranged on said shaft, a pin arranged on said disceccentrically of said shaft, means extending downwardly through saidtubular member for connecting said eccentrically arranged pin with saiddrive means, a second shaft horizontally arranged at the shoulder lineof said trunk portion for rotative movement with respect thereto, apitcher arm connected to said second shaft and adapted to swing fromball-pitched position to ball pitching position, spring means on saidlastnamed shaft and normally urging the latter and said pitcher arm intoball-pitched position, pulley means ixed on said second shaft, a exibleelement having one end portion trained over said pulley a length greaterthan one-half the circumference of the pulley, the opposite end of saidflexible element extending over said first-named shaft, a connecting rodarranged in said tubular member for vertical movement and connectingsaid flexible element with said drive means to rotate said second shaftand said pitcher arm into ball pitching position against the action ofsaid spring means.

2. In a ball projecting mechanism, a base member on which a ball to beprojected is adapted to be positioned, a manikin on said base membercomprising a body including a fixed nether portion and a trunk portionon said nether portion for movement about a pivoted axis and including apivotally supported ball projecting arm and movable about said pivotedaxis to a stooped position to dispose the said arm in position to pickup said ball from said base member, means for pivotally connecting thearm to the trunk portion, means for pivotally moving the trunk portionabout said axis into said stooped position, and means for pivoting saidarm in ball projecting movement.

3. In a ball projecting device, a base member on which a ball to beprojected is adapted to be positioned, b all projecting means on thebase member including a pivotally supported ball projecting arm adaptedto be pivoted to a position adjacent the said base member for receivingthe ball positioned thereon, means for pivotally supporting said ballprojecting arm, means for pivotally moving said ball projecting arm insaid position to receive the said ball, and means for pivotally movingthe ball projecting arm in ball projecting operation.

4. A projecting device comprising a body including a fixed netherportion, a trunk mounted on said portion and including a ball projectingarm and movable about a pivotal axis to a stooped position to disposesaid arm in position to receive a ball to be projected thereby,. shaftmeans comprising said pivotal axis and pivotally connecting said trunkwith said nether portion for said movement, means on said shaft forrotation therewith and for pivoting said trunk to said stooped position,said means comprising an eccentric, drive means for operating saideccentric, and means connecting said eccentric with said drive means.

CLARENCE A. SCHUYLER.

